Re: CB please...

by Lex Sat Dec 14, 2013 9:10 pm

Seriously though, or 1st choice CB goes off with an injury, our 3rd choice CB does meh and everyone starts knee jerking like this? Laughing

by MJ Sat Dec 14, 2013 9:44 pm

Our 1st CB also gave away the first goal. Worth noting if you're gonna slate Vermaelen.

by REWB Sun Dec 15, 2013 1:06 am

verms mistake for the 4th goal pissed me off the most though, as the walcott strike put us right back in the game, then 2min later its over. listen i am picking on verm because he has been bad and none improving for a long time now, i hate players who regress/stagnate. he need to improve.

by Eman Sun Dec 15, 2013 2:49 am

CBarca wrote:Thought this thread was about me when I saw the title

Striker is more important IMO.

I thought you might when I saw the title changed to what it is as well Laughing

by Wilson37 Sun Dec 15, 2013 5:57 am

this is ridiculous.. seems like some people now cant even tolerate the sight of Vermelen on the pitch.. he didnt do anything bad yesterday to make this thread now.. the overall performance was terrible and the defence didnt get the protection they usually get..
he can be still good and it is hard to get better CBs than Vermelen as 3rd choice..

by MJ Sun Dec 15, 2013 11:16 am

Only during a performance where we literally handed them the ball in our final third will someone blame Vermaelen for not stuffing an attack of 4+ city attackers who have a surprise advantage.

Blaming Vermaelen is utter nonsense, if you're pointing at his errors for this game, you're horribly misguided, if this season, he hasn't even played that much to warrant criticism and when he has he's been decent.

by Jay29 Sun Dec 15, 2013 11:24 am

Vermaelen has his faults and it's fine to discuss those in the context of his time at Arsenal, but to single him out for anything yesterday is ridiculous considering the entire backline and midfield, including the likes of Koscielny, Mertesacker, Sagna and Flamini, had poor games and by the time the fourth goal goes in confidence from the side is gone while City are flying. Better defenders than Vermaelen are going to struggle in that scenario.

Vermaelen has a lot to prove, but let's give him the opportunity to do so since in every other appearance he's made this season he's done well. The remainder of this month, which Koscielny will probably be miss, will be a good chance to see if he's still good enough.

I do think we should get a centre back or a right back (so Sagna can play in the centre more) in January, but only because I feel we're short on numbers there... for the time being, anyway.

by The Verminator Sun Dec 15, 2013 12:24 pm

It may come as a surprise, but I am in fact a Vermaelen fan. And putting aside all bais-ness, I think he needs to be given a chance. He didn't have a good season last season, but at the very least he's been decent this season when called upon. Imo i'd reserve judgement for the next few games he plays, seeing as Koscielny might be out for a few weeks (no source for this, just my thinking).

As for the game against City, I wouldn't point the finger at him. Koscielny was at fault for the first goal, and i saw Mertesacker get turned a couple of times too.

Eman wrote:
CBarca wrote:Thought this thread was about me when I saw the title

Striker is more important IMO.
I thought you might when I saw the title changed to what it is as well

@Eman Your sig ffs Laughing

No idea why i find it so funny

by Eman Sun Dec 15, 2013 3:20 pm

The Verminator wrote:@Eman Your sig ffs No idea why i find it so funny

I imagine it was the first time he tried to defend against Theo hmm

by Twoism Sun Dec 15, 2013 7:07 pm

urbaNRoots wrote:Vermaelen didn't do much wrong today but looking at his performances overall since we signed him, has he really improved much on his game?

He's had problems with his positioning since we signed him- he still does, he caused too many fouls with his agressive defending which lead to goals - he still does, he had concentration problems - he still does. He went from undisputed no 1 in his first season to 3rd choice CB, replaced by two players who we signed in the meantime. I just feel he has not much to offer to us and we don't either. Perhaps for the best of the club and himself - because he looks like a genuinely nice guy - it would be best to part ways.

If Napoli are indeed interested as reported and put in a good offer (<£10m) then we should really take it and plan future with Mertesacker, Koscielny, new CB and Sagna as CB options.

However this can be fixed in the summer and is not nearly as important as signing a striker.

Agree with Urban, it might be time to move on for both parties. Not that he's bad but he staying and forever be 3rd choice is not what I want. He's the kind of players that need run of games and we can't offer that. He's also not young anymore, it's hard to see how he could improve upon. If Saga signs new deal, get a RB and convert Sagna to new Thuram/Abidal, best solution imo.

by Eman Mon Dec 16, 2013 2:30 am

The problem with selling Vermaelen is that if he leaves, who will come in to replace him? No other decent CB would want to come in just to ride the bench either, and even if we get a world class replacement, that would potentially just limit the opportunities of Per and Koscielny. As a 3rd choice, he is a good player, and we shouldn't be writing off his chances of becoming a regular in the starting XI yet either. Selling him would solve nothing; it would just give us another problem.

by Twoism Mon Dec 16, 2013 3:19 am

Eman wrote:The problem with selling Vermaelen is that if he leaves, who will come in to replace him? No other decent CB would want to come in just to ride the bench either, and even if we get a world class replacement, that would potentially just limit the opportunities of Per and Koscielny. As a 3rd choice, he is a good player, and we shouldn't be writing off his chances of becoming a regular in the starting XI yet either. Selling him would solve nothing; it would just give us another problem.

Hence all the conditions I listed above: Sagna renews + new RB. All of these will only could happen next summer obviously and it's not our top priority, only do when opportunity arise.

by SamuelJayC Tue Dec 17, 2013 8:44 pm

We are a defender short. Every club needs 8. We have 7. I don't really understand how we've been with 7 all 2013 to be honest.

by EL Patron Tue Dec 17, 2013 9:34 pm

Because no defender will sign for a club just to play second fiddle.

by mani88 Wed Dec 18, 2013 6:01 am

Samuelj29060 wrote:We are a defender short. Every club needs 8. We have 7. I don't really understand how we've been with 7 all 2013 to be honest.

We've managed it just because of Sagna's versatility, everyone know he can deputize n be our fourth CB if need be.

by MJ Fri Dec 27, 2013 12:55 pm

Proper performances from Vermaelen I'd say.

by djoe26 Fri Dec 27, 2013 8:14 pm

Has done well in both matches.

by MJ Fri Dec 27, 2013 8:22 pm

I suppose certain people are waiting for us to lose or him to play a stray ball to bump this thread Laughing

by RealGunner Fri Dec 27, 2013 8:47 pm

He isn't Squillaci or Silvestre. He is a very good CB and probably one of the best back up CBs in the PL

by SamuelJayC Fri Dec 27, 2013 9:03 pm

Yeah, shout-out to Vermaelen who has done very, very well in these past 2 games. He also did very well at Old Trafford.

by Raptorgunner Fri Dec 27, 2013 10:29 pm

Love his attitude, I would love him to take his place back in the starting line up, a real professional. We are lucky to have CB can come in and do the job.

by MJ Fri Dec 27, 2013 11:44 pm

Think he deserves to start against Newcastle due to form, only reason I'd leave him out is to be fresh because of our congested schedule but as all our saying, it's a relief he's proven dependable.

by Twoism Sat Dec 28, 2013 1:06 am

MJGunner wrote:Think he deserves to start against Newcastle due to form, only reason I'd leave him out is to be fresh because of our congested schedule but as all our saying, it's a relief he's proven dependable.

He has to play imo. defenders especially CB don't have to worry much with fitness, beside he barely play so a stretch of games will do him good heading to the break.

He did well and probably one of the best back up CB in PL atm; his situation is oddly similar to DL4 at Chelsea Very Happy

by Jay29 Sat Dec 28, 2013 1:36 am

He's done well, but I don't think he's been so good that we should leave out Koscielny for him. As much as we want Vermaelen to return to the form he showed in his first season, we shouldn't forget that a lot of our success has been down to the partnership between Koscielny and Mertesacker, and I don't think Vermaelen's performances right now justify breaking that partnership.

What Vermaelen has done well is that he's not made any of the calamitous errors he was making regularly last season, and that should restore some faith in him from the manager. If Koscienly's or even Mertesacker's performances start to dip, then maybe Vermaelen will have a better shot at coming back into the side this time. But for now, I think Wenger will use his best pairing when he can.

by Twoism Sat Dec 28, 2013 1:45 am

GoonerJay29 wrote:He's done well, but I don't think he's been so good that we should leave out Koscielny for him. As much as we want Vermaelen to return to the form he showed in his first season, we shouldn't forget that a lot of our success has been down to the partnership between Koscielny and Mertesacker, and I don't think Vermaelen's performances right now justify breaking that partnership.

What Vermaelen has done well is that he's not made any of the calamitous errors he was making regularly last season, and that should restore some faith in him from the manager. If Koscienly's or even Mertesacker's performances start to dip, then maybe Vermaelen will have a better shot at coming back into the side this time. But for now, I think Wenger will use his best pairing when he can.

Yeah, no way we break our best partnership. What I said was mostly for the next game based on situation, Koss just got back and TV5 had stretch of games. After the break then business back as usual.

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